


Get Back Ginji

by SunriseMod



Category: GetBackers
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Attempt at Humor, Eventual Romance, M/M, Why am I writing for a dead fandom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:35:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28439976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunriseMod/pseuds/SunriseMod
Summary: The trouble with people is that they can't be retrieved like items. Does that mean Ban shouldn't try at all?
Relationships: Amano Ginji & Midou Ban, Amano Ginji/Midou Ban, Midou Ban/Raitei | The Lightening Emperor, mido - Relationship
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	Get Back Ginji

It bothered Ban that he knew what Ginji tasted like. His skin, his tongue. Like hot copper wires and salt. It bothered him that he thought about it often. His eyes would glaze over and he’d go somewhere else, into the deepest parts of his mind. He would have to be shaken out of it by whoever was close, whoever noticed he wasn’t on Earth. His lips were wrapped around the end of a cigarette and it didn’t taste like Ginji but it was damn good anyway. He exhaled smoke as Hevn passed him the details of his latest assignment. Her neat handwriting, looping black ink. 

“So Ban, you’re sure you’re good to do this alone? It’ll be dangerous.” 

He’d been alone for a long time now. Well, a year wasn’t long in the grand scheme of things but it had felt like an eternity without Ginji. Tapping his cigarette against the ashtray between the two of them, he grinned. “Hah, worried about me? Let me squeeze your tits, maybe I’ll feel a little better.” The woman scowled, snatching at her purse and standing. But, the expression softened as she looked away and towards the front door to the Honky Tonk. “Just promise me you aren’t going to be reckless.” Ban’s grin waned as his own eyes fell to the ashtray. Hevn’s cigarette remained there, smoldering away. “…Yeah. Course.” 

The woman sighed softly, leaving him there. Her heels clicked against the wood distantly, then the chime of the bell. There was silence blanketing the empty joint now. He raised his eyes to watch Paul clean a mug. At least Ban didn’t get any grief from him. The man knew to keep his nose out of other people’s business, something Hevn could learn to do herself. Ban extinguished the end of his own cigarette next to hers. The bell chimed a second time not soon after. 

Thing was, life without Ginji was- and he hated to admit it- _better _. Whatever bad luck they’d been lugging around had disappeared when their partnership ended. Seemed they'd only been holding each other back, all that time. Now there were no more nights spent starving in his little ladybug, no more odd jobs or scavenging for coins in water fountains. His hair wasn’t a nest of spikes either, free of his old friend’s stray electric currents. He could run a comb through it, keep it straight. He had a nice condo, drank martinis and had his way with French maids. Blonde ones with dumb doe eyes. Apparently he had a type. A real shame he'd only recently realized it. He didn’t know if it was the same for Ginji, refused to keep tabs on him, but he liked to think he was living it up somewhere. Eating big spicy tuna and banging 10/10 models with hearts of gold. Yeah. Picturing him happy was enough for Ban.__

__Ha. Who the hell was he kidding? He was selfish enough to want their shitty life back. ‘ _Give me starvation, give me poverty, give me parking tickets for the rest of my life. I'll take it all if you give me Ginji too _.’___ _

____But those days were gone, weren’t they? Some things couldn’t be gotten back in life. And maybe it was best to keep looking forward, even if success felt empty. It wasn’t like he could force Ginji to come back to him. Maybe some day Ban would be able to wake up without thinking about him._ _ _ _

____He shook off his thoughts. He needed to focus. He was supposed to be retrieving a stolen artifact en route to a museum in Europe. Well. The damn thing was stolen from whoever every couple of decades, Ban was just keeping the tradition alive for a client that could afford his rates. It was a few days later now, close to evening. The exterior of the ship was white, massive. Stood in the harbor, boarding guests. Ban was inside, feeling itchy in his suit. There were chandeliers hanging from above, crystal that seemed to glitter. He leaned over the railing in the atrium, overlooking the guests. Loosening his tie he tried not to think about a seasick Ginji, or a Ginji with stars in his eyes, watching the sun set over the water. The blonde would look back at him and say something about how pretty it was, with his big dumb smile. His stomach was in knots. Maybe Ban needed a drink._ _ _ _

____Try as he might not to think about him, it was difficult to keep it all down when he actually did lay eyes on him. What the hell? Was that really him? Ban leaned over the railing and squinted over his shades. Something in his chest hurt. A pain that went beyond a feeling. He was positive there was an actual, physical hand digging through the mush of his insides. Ginji was down there in the ballroom, surrounded by a mass of blooming dresses and tailored suits. Didn’t look like an illusion either. No. He was definitely down there flashing that big dumb smile. Bright eyes and skin that crinkled around them when he laughed too hard. He was wearing a simple black suit and looking terribly out of place. A lost puppy with his tail wagging. Eager but uncertain too. Didn’t he know there were people that could take advantage of that kind of innocence? No, probably not._ _ _ _

____A woman had her arm tossed around his shoulders, was dragging him down to whisper something in his ear. Whatever she’d said seemed to make his face immediately burn red. Around the man, people chuckled at his reaction. Ban gripped at the railing hard enough to get it to warp from the pressure. Ginji’s eyes flickered up and he thought for a second they’d made eye contact. His breath got trapped in his lungs. Shit, he needed to breathe. Ban let the railing go, stepping back and out of the other man’s line of vision._ _ _ _

____“Excuse me sir, would you like a glass of-“_ _ _ _

____The server near Ban didn’t get to finish. He quickly reached out and grasped the stem of a glass, knocking it back even quicker than that. He wasn’t sure what it had been, but it left a familiar warmth in the back of his throat and the pit of his stomach. That warmth grew to be more intense as the seconds ticked by. A burning, like liquid fire. He was struck with regret. “Shit!” He spat, gripping at his throat as his watering eyes wildly flashed to the server. The young man looked slightly apologetic. He smiled awkwardly at Ban. “It’s a spicy cocktail, sir… Very popular in our country of destination.” _Who the hell drank spicy cocktails?! _“Shall I get you some water?”___ _ _ _

______Ban jerked his head in a nod, waving the man off. “Please, thanks.” Worse than one of Himiko’s poisons, and for a hot second he’d been certain it was just that. Actual poison. He’d have to tell her about it next time he saw her. Maybe it would be tonight. Who knew how many enemies were on the boat, attending this glitzy shindig. Ban exhaled a shuddery breath as both of his hands dropped back down to grip at the railing. He’d lost sight of that damn electric eel. What was he doing here anyway? Where-_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Hey.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Well. It made sense, he figured. Ginji coming to him. They’d always had a bond. Knew when the other was near, or far. Weird, right? Ban’s eyes cut to the man standing beside him. Ginji looked too serious, lips pursed in a tight line and eyes focused. They were deep brown, like burning honey. He almost looked like he had back then, before they’d known each other. Before Get Backers. A gangster, a god. The Limitless Fortress crossed his mind, scraping at the sky. More a prison than a home. Dreary, where dreams went to die._ _ _ _ _ _

______Ban said, “Long time no see.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______They stood up there in that heavy silence. Ginji broke it, his lips moving. He wondered if they still tasted as bitter as they had a year ago. “I tried that drink too. It’s terrible right? I’m pretty sure it’s just fruity bleach.” The blonde offered a faint smile, raising his hand to scratch at the back of his neck. He hadn’t changed much. As sheepish as ever. The smile fell. “Listen, Ban. If you’re here… We may have to fight soon. I don’t really want to, but I… I don’t intend to hold back either.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______Ban’s heart skipped, tumbled against his ribcage. Maybe he should’ve been on guard hearing that, but he couldn’t help the corner of his mouth hiking up. Seeing him gave him the strangest feeling. Butterflies, people called them. He could forget (suppress) all that hurt as long as his partner was here, next to him. “You plan to kill me for a few bucks? Ah Ginji I’m hurt. We’re old pals, yanno?” He hadn’t been anticipating his words pissing the guy off, so it was just dumb luck that he caught the fist swinging for his face. Reflexes, let’s go with that. He gripped at it as Ginji grit his teeth, a spark creeping across his knuckles and now Ban's. The familiar stinging jolt rushing across his skin got him to shiver. He fought it off. “Don’t tease me Ban. I’m serious.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“First time I see you in forever and all you want to talk about is business. Now I really am hurt.” Ban’s grin was unwavering, seeming to irritate his old pal. He tightened his grip on Ginji’s fist as he leant in close, getting the other man’s breath to catch in the back of his throat. It was Ginji’s turn to shiver. “You’re a transporter now? Crazy, man. I guess give it your best shot. Dunno if you’ve heard, but I’ve got a 100% success rate.” Maybe he had known those words would piss him off, this time around. A flare up of rage in those brown eyes and Ban, sick fucker he was, couldn’t help but get a kick out of it. He liked when he looked alive, liked hearing the unmistakable crackle of his electricity. He’d missed it._ _ _ _ _ _

______"I wish you would just listen to me for once. The security here is..." Ginji trailed off, furious eyes flickering away to focus on something or someone approaching them. That tight lipped scowl was out of place on his face. He looked as sunkissed as ever. Such warm toned skin. Soft. Ban was preoccupied with raking his eyes over every bit of it he could see. He was tempted to lean in closer than he already had. Instead he extended his free hand, wrapping his fingers loosely around Ginji’s throat. Those eyes were on him again. Watching him. He ran his thumb along his Adam’s apple as it twitched from swallowing. “Mind if I don’t hold back either, Ginji?”_ _ _ _ _ _

______A blade spotted in his peripheral got him to release Ginji’s fist and throat. It came flying like someone wanted to gouge his eyes out. Damn near heat seeking. He took a quick step back, a hiss of breath escaping his clenched teeth as the blade caught the bridge of his nose. A light spray of blood bloomed. He knew who it belonged to before he even laid eyes on him. That cold smile. He wouldn’t want to catch it in the dark, honestly. Creepy bastard. Wait. Ban’s eyes flashed back to Ginji. “You’re working with this guy? Ginji’s he’s made you piss your pants at least twice.” Hell, maybe he’d made Ban piss his own. Ginji grimaced, rubbing at his throat and looking away. Whether he was ashamed of getting caught with Ban or getting caught with Akabane, who could say. “You don’t get to choose who you work with on these kind of assignments, you know…”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Now, now. That’s all in the past. I won’t have you stealing my dear Ginji. Not tonight anyway. If this is a social call,” Akabane shrugged his shoulders, eyelids cracking to reveal dark eyes. Little pits of swirling madness you could fall into, get lost in. Ban couldn’t meet his gaze for too long. “Perhaps another time? Unless it’s a fight, in which case I’d be happy to assist you.” Ginji shook his head, moving to step in front of his ex-partner. “He’s not involved. Actually, I’m pretty sure he’s planning to get off before the ship leaves port. Right Ban?” Ginji flashed him another one of those solar powered smiles over his shoulder. It made Ban far too weak in the knees for his liking._ _ _ _ _ _

______Akabane made a noise of thought. He wasn’t a fool but also was perfectly content with placating the blonde and playing nice. For now, anyway. Ban wondered for how long. “Well we’ll be needed at our posts soon. Do hurry along, hm? Good to see you again, Ban Midou.” With a tip of his hat, he left them together. Ginji deflated, exhaling noisily. Ban tossed an arm around his shoulders and drew him close enough for Ginji’s back to collide with his chest. Poor man flinched, felt like he wasn't breathing either. “You really saved my bacon there, but uh... What was that about not holding back old pal? Is this just a taste of how serious you are about beating the shit out of me?” Ban lowered his voice as he set his mouth near Ginji’s ear. He rose his hand to pinch at the man’s cheek. “I’m shaking. Can you tell? I’m real terrified, Ginji.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______The blonde broke away, rubbing at his bruised cheek. He took off. Hasty, like he couldn't wait to get away. He didn’t even give him a goodbye. Truly heartbreaking. With him leaving though, Ban’s high spirits were leaving too. It had been a bit of fun, seeing him. Teasing him. Almost like old times, but… In the end they were enemies tonight, right? He was aching for a cigarette. Aching for other things too._ _ _ _ _ _

______Was Ginji happier these days?_ _ _ _ _ _


End file.
